Chapter 2: The Currency of Trust
Joshua felt the weight of K'Vash-9's gaze like a physical burden. The cobalt-scaled warrior sat across the desk, radiating an aura of structured, predatory focus that made the cheap office chair seem dangerously inadequate.
"To simplify, K'Vash-9," Joshua began, rubbing the temples beneath his glasses. He kept his voice steady, masking the sheer panic of having zero SP and a looming Mandatory Audit. "Terran wealth is not solely defined by the sheer quantity of items owned. It is about the power to acquire items you deem necessary. That power is measured in currency."
"A primitive concept," the K'Vash warrior rumbled, his voice scraping against the air. "If I desire this desk, why must I exchange small, colored papers for it? Why not simply take it and defend my possession?"
"Because that is the definition of crime on Earth, not commerce," Joshua said, leaning back slightly. "You would acquire one desk, but forfeit your freedom—and the opportunity to acquire everything else."
[CLIENT BARRIER LEVEL: CRITICAL. ECONOMIC MISALIGNMENT INDEX: 99.8%]
Joshua knew he was losing him. His F-Rank Language Skill was translating the words, but it couldn't translate the concept of an abstract monetary value. He needed Concept Transfer (G-Rank) for 50 SP, which was miles away, or at least Rapid Rapport (F-Rank) for 10 SP to find a cultural anchor point. He had zero.
He desperately needed points.
System, Joshua thought, trying to project urgency. Are there any immediate, low-effort opportunities for SP acquisition within the current sector?
[RESPONSE: SYSTEM DOES NOT PROVIDE ACTIVE HUNTING ASSISTANCE. EVALUATE ENVIRONMENT FOR SUB-OPTIMAL ALIEN INTERACTIONS.]
Useless, Joshua mentally grumbled, pretending to check K'Vash-9's application file while covertly activating his Language Skill to scan the waiting room.
The waiting area was a low-level babble of various clicks, hums, and low-frequency pulses, but his skill picked up a distinct, high-frequency whine coming from the corner.
A C'Thar, a small, six-limbed insectoid alien, was nervously hovering near a large, bipedal Gorok refugee. The C'Thar was the color of dried hay and vibrating so fast it was almost a blur, clutching a Terran ID application form.
"—but my designation is '*Flicker-of-Morning-Light-Upon-The-High-Grass-of-Juna-Prime*'!" the C'Thar squeaked, his voice coming through Joshua's Language Skill as a high-pitched, desperate plea. "That is my identity! This form has only seventeen blank spaces for a Terran-compatible name!"
The Gorok, a placid, green-skinned species with the patience of a mountain, shrugged its massive shoulders. The Gorok's deep, booming voice was overlaid with the subtle, comforting intent of someone trying to solve a simple problem.
"Then you must simplify, Flitch. The form demands it. I am Grox'K'Lar. They call me Gary for the work application. It is efficient."
"But 'Gary' is a betrayal of my lineage!" the C'Thar wailed. "If I accept 'Gary,' how will the Collective ever find me?"
The Gorok was patiently pointing at the line on the form. The C'Thar was starting to panic, its six limbs flailing, threatening to tear the precious paperwork.
K'Vash-9, silent until now, followed the noise with four black eyes. Joshua could feel the warrior's judgment: Inefficient. A chaotic species. The large one should simply enforce compliance.
Opportunity, Joshua realized. It wasn't K'Vash-9, but it was an alien in immediate, low-level distress over a bureaucratic issue.
"K'Vash-9," Joshua said, keeping his eyes on the file but his intent focused on the hallway. "Excuse me for one moment. I need to retrieve a supplemental document detailing asset depreciation. It is a critical component of Great Wealth."
The warrior gave a slight nod, a silent acceptance of the necessity of tedious bureaucratic steps.
Joshua stood up and walked the ten feet to the door. Instead of leaving, he leaned out just enough to address the two aliens directly, using the calming, level tone he used on his foster youth cases.
"Flitch," Joshua said, making sure to use the Gorok's shortened nickname to show he had heard the exchange. "I am Adjustment Counselor Joshua. May I make a suggestion regarding your Terran ID?"
The C'Thar, Flitch, froze, its antennae twitching toward him.
"The form requires a Terran-compatible name," Joshua continued. "It does not require your full designation. You may use the officially sanctioned abbreviation format: First Initial, Middle Initial, Last Name."
Joshua pulled a spare, generic card from his pocket and wrote on it with a marker: F. M. Light.
"Your official ID name will be F. M. Light. This uses your given designation while fitting the necessary seventeen characters. No lineage betrayal, no unnecessary simplification."
The C'Thar stopped vibrating. Its six legs settled on the linoleum floor, and its voice, now calm, translated the essence of relief. "That… that is a functional compromise. It is an acceptable preservation of identity."
The Gorok, Gary, nodded its massive head once. "Functional. Effective."
The warrior caste client in Joshua's office remained silent, but Joshua felt a faint, momentary release of tension from the area. The crisis had been averted. The application was saved.
[TASK COMPLETE: MINOR ADMINISTRATIVE DISRUPTION AVERTED. ALIEN IDENTITY CONFUSION RESOLVED.]
[GOOD DEED ACHIEVED: SYSTEM POINTS (SP) AWARDED: +5]
[CURRENT SP: 5]
Joshua felt a rush of adrenaline. He was no longer at zero! He had earned five points.
He smiled quickly at the two clients, handed the note to the Gorok to ensure compliance, and slipped back into his office, closing the door behind him. K'Vash-9 was still sitting in the chair, silent and waiting.
"Apologies for the delay, K'Vash-9," Joshua said, sitting down. "Asset depreciation is a complicated subject."
The warrior tilted his ridged head slightly. "The small human solved the problem of the buzzing one with words. He did not need force. This is… an interesting method of control."
[CLIENT SATISFACTION INDEX (SSI) INCREASED: 5% (Initial value: 0%). Barrier remains CRITICAL.]
Five percent. That meant he was only 45% away from avoiding the Audit. And he had 5 SP—half of what he needed for a useful skill.
He needed 5 more points. And K'Vash-9 was waiting.
Joshua knew he couldn't run back into the waiting room again. He needed a way to earn those last 5 SP from K'Vash-9 directly, right here, right now, before delving back into the complex topic of Great Wealth and Terran Economics.
What subtle, system-worthy good deed can Joshua perform for the K'Vash warrior that would earn him the last 5 points he needs? He must remain professional while doing it.